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"I don’t knohat the word for it is But it blows h these trippy parallel experiments Or tests, trials, whatever they were I uess itWeird, though"

Right when Thoirl in the distance let out a shriek even louder than her now-regular cries of pain and he felt a fresh rush of horror

"I think I know," Aris said, so quietly Thomas wasn’t sure he’d heard hiroups Are two groups"

Tho look of calm on his face "You do? What then?"

Aris still didn’t seem very winded "Well, actually I have two ideas One is I think these people―WICKED, whoever they are―are trying to weed out the best of both groups to use us so like that"

"What?" Tho He couldn’t believe anyone would be so sick "Breed us? Come on"

"After going through the Maze and e just saw happen in that tunnel, you think breeding is far-fetched? Give me a break"

"Good that" Thomas had to admit that the kid had a point "Okay, so as your other theory?" As he asked it Tho in; his throat felt like soullet

"Kind of the opposite," Aris responded "That instead of wanting survivors froh to the end So they’re either weeding out people froether Either way, it’s the only explanation I can think of"

Thoht about what he’d said for quite so "But what about the stuff the Rat Man said? That they’re testing our responses, building some kind of blueprint? Maybe it’s an experiment Maybe they don’t plan for any of us to survive Maybe they’re studying our brains and our reactions and our genes and everything else When it’s all done, we’ll be dead and they’ll have lots of reports to read"

"H to figure out why they had one roup"

"Maybe to see what kind of fights or problems it would cause Study people’s reactions―it’s kind of a unique situation" Tho about this―like we’re deciding e need to stop for a klunk"

Aris actually did laugh, a dry chuckle that made Thomas feel better―actually made him like the new kid even o for at least an hour"

It was Thoht on cue, like he’d heard Aris calling for it, Minho yelled out for everyone to stop

"Potty break," he said with his hands on his hips as he caught his breath "Bury your klunk and don’t do it too close We’ll rest for fifteen, then we’ll just walk awhile I know you shanks can’t keep up with Runners like me and Thomas"

Thomas tuned out―he didn’t need directions on how to use the bathrooet a look at where they’d stopped He took a deep, full breath, and when he relaxed his eyes caught on so A dark shadow of a shape a few hundred yards in front of them, but not directly in the path of their journey A square of darkness against the faint glow of the town up ahead It stood out so distinctly he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed it until now

"Hey!" he yelled, pointing toward it "Looks like a little building up there, just a few uys see it?"

"Yeah, I see it," Minho responded, walking up to stand next to him "Wonder what it is"

Before Thos happened almost siirl stopped, instantly, cut short as if a door had closed on her Then, stepping out froirl appeared, long hair flowing from her shadowed head like black silk

CHAPTER 20

Thomas couldn’t help it His first instinct was to hope it was her, call out to her To hope that against all odds she was there, just a few hundred yards aaiting for hi The abscess left when she disappeared was still in his head―like an eht be her Maybe so had happened to their ability to coirl had stepped out fro, she just stood there Despite being obscured co about her stanceat them with arms folded

"You think that’s Teresa?" Newt asked, as if he’d read Thomas’sHe quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed Didn’t seem so "No clue," he finally said

"You think she was the one screaht when she walked out"

Minho grunted "Better bet is she was the one torturing somebody Probably killed her and put her out of her " Then for some reason he clapped his hands once "Okay, then, ants to go hthearted at times like this just baffled Thomas "I’ll do it," he said, way too loudly He didn’t want to make it obvious that he hoped it was Teresa

"I was just kidding, shuck-face," Minho said "Let’s all go over there She could have an ar in that shack of hers"

"Psycho girl ninjas?" Newt repeated, his voice showing he was surprised, if not annoyed, by Minho’s attitude

"Yeah Let’s go" Minho started walking forward

Thomas acted on a sudden and unexpected instinct "No!" He lowered his voice "No You guys stay here―I’ll go talk to her Maybe it’s a trap or soht into it"

"And you’re not an idiot for going by yourself?" Minho asked

"Well, we can’t just walk on by without checking it out I’ll go If soets suspicious, I’ll call for help"

Minho paused for a long ht Go Our brave little shank" He whacked Tho